The Portland daily press., 1887-09-01
WONDERFUL cAvERNs.
Wonderful Discoveries In Lookout
Mountain, Tennessee.
[St. Louis Globe-Democrat.l !

Three miles south of Chattanooga out of
the eastern base of Lookout mountain a
stream OF water pours into the valley in a
steady volume foot in width and inches
deep. The flowing of the water as it comes
out of the rocky wall is accompanied by a
constant current Of cold air. and for this
cause the natives have named it Blowing
Spring. Some time ago, the Grant brothers
and McGrath, who own the surrounding
mountain side and valley land, conceived the
Idea that the spring had its source in i'm
mense cayerns, with which Indian legends
say the interior of Lookout Mountain is
honey-combed. short time ago they offer
ed reward of $50 to any one who would ex-
plore these hidden caves. Last Saturday A
mouEtaineer named Alex. Smith appeared at
the office Of Grant Brothers and claimed the
reward He brought several stalagmites
and stalactites of remarkable size and beauty
and of many curious shapes, together with
small crystals and fragments of rock which
were scanned with what appeared to be Sill
yer lead and copper.
The Grant Brothers, who are largely inter
ested In mining lands in Tennessee and Ala
pama, told the mountaineer they would give
him the promised $50 and another baif
hundred on top of it if he would yerify his
explorations. ---'
Accordingly party, consisting of M. and
II. w. Grant, j. w. McCrath, S. B. Logan.
the successful gas well-borer, and represent
drove out to Blowing Spring this morning at
5o'clock. After breakfasting at farm house
dressing themselves in heavy flannel clothing
and providing themselves with miners
lamps, the party, under the leadership OF
Smith, began their tortnous entrance to the
cave. The explorers had to take the water
from the start, crawling along in the bed of
narrow stream on their hands and knees.
and often doing the snake act on their stom-
achs for hundreds of feet at time. When
they left the open air the temperature stood
az so, and the water in the cavity was 4Oo
lnls mode OF progression was kept up for
more than an hour, when a cavity on the
rlgnt OF the stream was entered, and the par
ty proceeded in = half bent attitude along a
winding passage tioored with sand and OBJ
structed oy powders and irregular blocks of
rotten limestone, until they reached a cham
per OF an oval shape 90 feet wide and 70 feet
In length and about 25 feet high
ere the first stalassAitos and etsfacttes of
tbay any considerable size were fonnd. Many of of
the latter hung down from the ceiling almost
low enough to touch the heads of the WON
der-struck beholders. Some time was spent
In examining the outer edges of this subter
ranean apartment. Several pieces of rock
were knocked off with small hammers from
the Juttlng ledges on one side of the cave.
and under the lamplight showed unmistak,
abie evidence OF the presence of either silver
or lead ore.
Following their guide the men left ,his
chamber, and after clambering up a long.
steep passage which led in the direction of
the top OF Lookout Mountain for more than
half an hour, descended for distance of
nearly 100 yards, leaping like mountain
goats from rock to rock and then entered q
long gallery, which ran alongside Stream
LOT nearly half mile. This gallery had
others opening into it at right angles and ir-
regular intervals, and its walls were crusted
IKE diamonds in the light of the lamps. A
sudden turn in the tortuous passage brought
the party into large hall over two acres in
extent Everyone stood rooted to the ground
with astonishment In the middle Of this
Immense opening glittered the CRYSTAL waters
Oh lake. and from its centre rose a minatnre
island, from whose bosom, uplifted to a
height OF nearly 10 feet, rose a tall symmet-
rlcal stalagmite, that bore perfect resenl-
n pIance e 10 Goth'c tower, white at the top,
ana OF yellowish tint at the base. Urmarets'
bastlons and terraces were as accurately
traced IN its outlines as If they had been fast
ened by the hand of human architect. This
large centre tower was surrounded by 9TH
ers smaller in size and height, and of divers
shapes and colors, but all bearing a signlar
resemblance to architectural forms.
Inc moor OF the cave surrounding the lake
was as smooth as glass and of blackisb-eray
nue. nae, IKE rast the marble formed in the white
was covered with bright pebbles of many
colors and varying in dimensions from the
size OF a pins head to that of n walnut
Many OF these were gathered by the expIor-
ing party and are pronounced to be opals
some OF the specimens collected are said to
pe larger ana more fiawless than those found
In the nelghborhood of Chihuahua.
Inc ceiling of this vast underground cavern
Whlch was dome-shaped and 40 feet above
the miniature lake, was thick with pendant
SlalactltleS arranged as if nature in placinp
them there had tried her hand at lincrusta
work On benches of rock, rising like ter
races on the eastern side of this apartment
were ranged huge stalacttes, grotestonites
bearing the shapes of recumbent animals
Among these latter Mr.. McCrath found and
detached from its fastenings one that looked
like petrfed turtle
No fish were found in the lake, but on one
side OF 1t were seen the footprints of rae
coon ana bear. A crawling brook came out
of one side Of the rocky wall and fed tba
lake with its waters.
a careful examination showed that the |
lake had no outlet. There is but one MASSAGE |
leading into this immense cavern 1t is the |
Suppositlon OF many that these caves were |
known 10 the Indians, and there are eyiden- |
during the war and as burial places for their |
dead On their return trip the party ex |
plored many smaller caves. In one of then, |
indications OF gypsum and iron were found |
ana In another. which is not more than 400 |
yards from the mouth on the side of Lookout |
mountain, tney came upon bubbling spring |
which Mr.. Logan says gives unmistakable |
evidence OF the presence of natural gas. The |
news which the party brought to the city has |
hlled the city with a degree of excitement |
shghtly less In intensity than that which ten |
aays ago followed the discovery of natural |